Hares of the Sea
by Dark Knight4
Summary: My other story was deleted, so I ow it to you all to write this. Read it. I think its very good.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer- I don't own Redwall, but I made the characters up.  
  
Hares of the Seas  
Prologue   
  
Inside the mountain fortress Salamandastron, hares and a badger lord have kept the shores safe for many generations. Searats, corsairs, and all plundering beasts have met their fates on those shores. But the manner of stopping the vermin was about to change completely.  
  
It happened when Salamandastron was under the rule of the badger lord Urrila the Lance. In his private chambers he received all the searat sittings and corsair raids. One day he received so many that he tore them up.  
  
" Enough!" he bellowed so that every hare in the entire mountain could hear his voice, " I have had enough of this! Let us build ships. Then sent patrols of hares on these ships to go out into the sea, and rid ourselves of these evil vermin!"   
  
Thus the Water Long Patrol was born.   



	2. The Water

  
Hares of the Seas  
Chapter 1  
The Water "Logged" Patrol  
  
Now, of the many new Water Long Patrol there was one in particular that stuck out. Most of the ships, if it came across a pirate ship, would board it and slay the beasts. But the Dingywave, under the command of Captain Trobley, did it different. The Dingywave was set up like a corsair ship, and when the crew spotted an enemy, they would don costumes of searats and fool the ship to come too close. This way, fewer lives were lost. But to most hares it seemed undignified to wear corsair clothing, except the crew of the Dingywave. Soon the patrol earned the name the Water "Logged" Patrol; though no one said this to the badger lord.  
  
But deep down every hare knew that Captain Trobley's way was better; they never lost a battle. But now, after many sea battles, the Dingywave was returning to Salamandastron for a very special reason; two of the crewmembers were to be wed. Their names were Kirock and Victoria. Every battle they had gone through had brought them closer together. Then the night after their last battle, Kirock had purposed.   
  
The couple would have been married on the ship, but the Badger lord wouldn't hear it. He insisted that they return to Salamandastron. But because of their position at sea they were forced to go through Scleocion cliff islands; great stone pillars that rose from the sea. But the vessel Seahawk had gone through the area a week before and reported no pirates around. So there was no concern.   
  
Since hares are mostly land creatures and not used to the sea yet, they had not learned that searats are unpredictable. Their ships are fast, and can not be in one area one week and be there the next. And this was no ordinary gang of corsairs; the Skulltooth, under the command of Captain Yellowback the water moccasin, showed no mercy, not even to other searats. So when the Dingywave came through the Sceolcion cliff islands, the Skulltooth intercepted it.   
" Ahoy, chaps, a corsair ship approach'n!" Garten the lookout hare shouted to the rest of the crew of the Dingywave.  
  
" Wot? There aren't supposed to be any ships here!" Captain Trobely yelled, coming out of his cabin.   
  
" Aye, sah, but the scum are getting closer! I can see about twoscore rats and a large snake!" Garten replied to his captain. Trobely ran to a bell on the mast and rang it several times, shouting,   
  
" All 'ands on deck! Corsairs coming!" All the members of the brave crew appeared on the deck. Kirock stepped up to the Captain.  
  
" What's going on, sah?" he asked.   
  
" Corsairs. Be ready for battle. I believe the vermin are going to board the ship!" Trobely panted, rushing off to inform other hares. Kirock went back into his cabin to tell his finance.  
  
" What is it, Kirock?" Victoria asked him. He told her what he knew. She stood up, grabbed her sword, and walked out with Kirock to defend the ship.  
  
~*~  
  
Aboard the Skulltooth, the evil Captain Yellowback prepared his crew for the board.   
  
" Yesss, men, get ready. Sail up next to the haresssss ssship, then jump into the deck. Yesss, then put a plank down so I may crosss, yesss, good, very good." The ship pulled up next to the Dingywave. A score of rats jumped from the deck of the Skulltooth. Trirag, Yellowback's second in command, put a plank down from deck to deck. Yellowback slithered across, and the battle began...   
  
  
  



	3. Sorrow

Author's note: I am really bad at harespeech, so take that in mind when you read this next chapter.  
  
Hares of the Seas  
Chapter 2  
Sorrow  
  
The battle was total chaos! The crew of the Skulltooth were experienced fighters, but so were the hares of the Dingywave. Many a rat was slain on that deck; Captain Trobely claimed three of the vermin himself. Kirock and Victoria never battled too far from each other. But Kirock was drawn into a battle with a rat on the bow of the ship, leaving Victoria for a moment. But it only takes a moment for horrible things to take place.  
  
Yellowback did not fight; he had slithered up the mast of the ship and was coiled around it, safe from the fighting. Victoria picked up a fallen rat's sword and threw it at the snake. It bounced off his tail, leaving him with only a bruise. But it had been enough to agitate the creature. He slithered down the pole, and toward Victoria. It's fangs unsheathed, he hissed at the haremaid;  
  
" Your fate is sssealed, misss, look into my eyesss!"   
  
The reason Yellowback's crew obeyed him was because every one of them was under his hypnotic power. It worked effectively in battle to. Glaring into each others eyes, Victoria and Yellowback and circled each other. Victoria raised her sword to attack, but Yellowback distracted her with his power. Yellowback sprang forward, sinking his teeth into Victoria's neck, his venom pumping into her bloodstream. At that exact moment, Kirock turned to see Victoria die.   
  
" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed, rushing over toward the snake, venom still dripping from his fangs as he stood over his victim. Anybeast that got in Kirock's path was slain. Yellowback turned his head to see Kirock slay another rat to get to him. Cold fear gripped his reptilian heart. He quickly retreated to the Skulltooth, calling the remainder if his crew over. The pirate ship took off away from the hares, out of the Sceolcion cliff islands to the open sea. Kirock knelt and picked up Victoria's body. All creatures aboard lowered their heads in sorrow. Overhead a storm brewed, thunder rolling and sent waves splashing.  
  
But nothing could drown out Kirock's voice.  
  
" REPTILE! From now on I will live for only one propose; to slay you! I will hunt you down till the day I die!"   
  
  



	4. Return to Salamandastron

Disclaimer-I don't own Redwall  
  
Hares of the Seas  
Chapter 3  
Return To Salamandastron  
  
  
The Dingywave returned to the mountain fortress Salamandastron. The mood normally would have been joyous, but under the circumstances it was a mood of deep sorrow. All the hares of the mountain hung their heads. But no creatures' head hung so low as the badger lord's did. Calling a meeting with Captain Trobely, he expressed his apologies.   
  
"I'm sorry, Trobely." Urrila said.   
  
"Excuse me sah," The Captain said, "why are you 'pologizing to me?"   
  
"This wouldn't have happened if I would have let those two be married on the ship." The badger said. "This could have been avoided."  
  
"Now, now, sah," Trobely soothed, "'tis not your fault. Things happen."  
  
"I guess you are right." The badger sighed. "How is Kirock?"  
  
"Hard to tell. He won't speak, won't eat, and won't sleep. Offhand, I'd say he's depressed." The badger sighed again.  
  
"Call all the hares together." He said. "I have an announcement to make."  
  
Urrila stood before the hares of Salamandastron. There was a murmur that rippled through the crowd, then fell silent as the lord spoke.  
  
"My friends and fellow warriors," he said, "I have decided to withdraw the Water Long Patrol." The hares turned to each other in shock. Withdraw the Water Long Patrol? Why, they had not seen vermin reach their shores in over six months because of them!  
  
"We are not experienced in the ways of the sea," he continued, "but vermin are. It is a risk to go out on their territory."  
  
"Everything is a risk!" Someone in the crowd shouted.  
  
"Who said that?" Urrila snapped. A hare stood. It was Kirock.  
  
"Risks are necessary in order to live a normal life." He said calmly. "We all take risks every day. Some are more dramatic that others, but they are risks just the same."  
  
"My mind is made up!" Urrila said. "It will not change!"   
  
"So be it." Kirock said, and left the assembly. Urrila dismissed everyone else. He sat in his chair, thinking. Maybe he was wrong about the Water Long Patrol. But he would not have this terrible accident repeated.  
  
Kirock stormed through the mountain, gathering his things. He picked up his sword, a haversack of food, and walked toward the exit of the mountain. Trobely stood in his way.  
  
"Oy, where do you think you're going, me bucko?" Kirock stood angrily.   
  
"Get out of my way." He said as he tried to brush past him.  
  
"You won't find a ship." Trobely said. "Urrila has ordered them all destroyed." Kirock sat down in defeat.  
  
"Then how will I avenge her?" he asked.  
  
"I have an idea." Trobely said. "Follow me." 


End file.
